Hamas chief assassinated in Iran

The Palestinian militant group has accused Israel of killing its political leader and said this ‘grave escalation’ will not go unanswered

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in the Iranian capital, Tehran, the Palestinian militant group said on Wednesday. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said he was targeted at his residence while visiting Iran to attend the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri accused Israel of the assassination and called it “a grave escalation” in a comment to Reuters. Israel has yet to comment on the killing.

It comes less than a day after Israel attacked the Lebanese capital Beirut in what its forces said was a targeted strike on Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.

Israel had vowed to eliminate Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas in response to the group’s October 7 attack that left 1,200 dead and saw some 250 others taken hostage.